Ways to say it
| Uzbek | Pronunciation | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inglizcha bilasizmi? | in-gliz-CHA bi-la-siz-MI | Do you know English? | The natural phrasing. |
| Inglizcha gapirasizmi? | in-gliz-CHA ga-pi-ra-siz-MI | Do you speak English? | Also correct. |
| Ruscha bilasizmi? | rus-CHA bi-la-siz-MI | Do you know Russian? | |
| Ozgina oʻzbekcha bilaman | oz-gi-NA oʻz-bek-CHA bi-la-MAN | I know a little Uzbek |
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Uzbek stress usually falls on the last syllable.
What it literally means
English-ly know-you-?
What people say back
Ha, ozgina (HA, oz-gi-NA): “Yes, a little”. Or Yoʻq, bilmayman: no, I don't.
In a real exchange
- You: Kechirasiz, inglizcha bilasizmi?
Excuse me, do you speak English? - Student: Ha, ozgina bilaman.
Yes, I know a little. - You: Juda yaxshi! Metro qayerda?
Great! Where is the metro?
Good to know
- The ending -cha turns a nationality into a language: ingliz → inglizcha, oʻzbek → oʻzbekcha, rus → ruscha.
- In Tashkent younger people often know some English; older people are more likely to know Russian. Outside the capital, Uzbek carries you furthest.
Common mistakes
- Asking in English. The question itself is the part worth learning in Uzbek.
This phrase is part of My name is… in Uzbek: introducing yourself in the free phrasebook, with the grammar behind it.